


There'll be bridges for us to mend (But I'll stick through it)

by mirrormirrora



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Episode: s03e06 A Window Into An Empty Room, Hurt Alec Lightwood, Hurt Magnus Bane, Hurt/Comfort, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Past Relationship(s), Protective Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:00:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24406192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirrormirrora/pseuds/mirrormirrora
Summary: A cannon divergence from Alec's and Magnus's argument over Magnus' past memories.  An old lover reappears and Alec learns to fight for his relationship, and that despite everything, relationships take effort and Alec is all for effort. Always.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 14
Kudos: 56





	1. worlds apart

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place during 's03e06 A Window Into An Empty Room' where Clary and Magnus found out that Jace was the owl. I was re-watching the series and found that this episode was good but the episodes after that were a little... Disappointing. The show dealt with Malec and Jace and the whole owl story line wasn't satisfying enough and I live for angst. Please leave lots of love! Kudos and comments are appreciated!

_We were worlds apart_ _  
So I fell from the stars  
I travelled long and I travelled far  
Then deep in the dark  
I followed a spark  
And it led straight to your heart_

“Oh my god, it’s Jace.”

_Jace._

Jace was the owl. And suddenly everything made sense, everything explained itself. How the owl was unusually strong and skilled. Magnus gathered himself from having blasted from Jace. He stood up and began gathering his magic, noticing that Jace has his eyes, so distant and dark, on Clary. Before anyone could get hurt, Magnus knew he had to take out Jace. Jace was possessed and if the owl continued controlling Jace, a lot more people would be in trouble. He produced a fire ball of purple magic, and then blasted it straight into Jace’s chest. Jace was hit but he didn’t flinch an inch. Instead, he turned and growled at Magnus.

“Jace, snap out of this!” Magnus shouted, summoning his magic for another attack.

“Magnus Bane.” The demon didn’t respond, only tilted his head and then his lips grew into a smirk, “We’re on the same team, aren’t we? Edom royalty.”

“ _Never_.” Magnus shook his head, and then blasted him with his full magic. Before the magic could reach Jace however, Jace raised his hands and the ball of magic stopped in mid-air. Jace huffed and rotated this hands and Magnus’s eyes grew wide as the ball of magic turned the other way and before he could do it anything, aimed straight for his chest. He crashed back, chest heaving from the heat of his own magic.

Jace walked towards Magnus and the warlock tensed. His magic was low, his body was in pain. He noticed Clary pulling out her daggers from behind Jace and Luke running towards the demon only to have them both flying back when Jace swung his hands.

“We’re family, you and I.” Jace slowly approached Magnus, “Edom blood.”

Magnus pushed past the exhaustion, picking himself up. He had to do something, because Jace was coming for him. But the sting of magic against his skin was burning his body, and he can barely take a breath without his lungs feeling as if they were about to collapse. His body slumped back against the wall behind him and he inhaled roughly.

Jace Herondale was going to kill him.

A shadowhunter. His lover’s _parabatai_.

Magnus took a deep breath but before Jace could come any closer, a figure jumped in front of Magnus shielding him. A man, slightly taller than him, with rumpled dark brown hair-almost black in the dark- and caramel skin. Magnus couldn’t see his face from the back but something about this man was eerily familiar.

“Leave him alone,”

Magnus’s heart skipped a beat. His eyes widened. The voice, the _accent_. Magnus knew this man. But before he could move, the man jumped fast, too fast for a mundane or a warlock. _Vampire_. He flew across, hands on Jace’s throat and slamming his body against a nearby wall. Magnus’s vision began blurring but he pushed past the pain and exhaustion. He tried keeping his eyes on the two fighting figures in front of him. Jace had kicked the man away, managing to elbow him and then he was gone. The man breathed heavily, staring into where Jace had disappeared and then turned around to face Magnus.

Magnus’s eyes widened; lips parted open in surprise as his gaze came across his mysterious saviour. His lips moved to say something, anything but he could only manage a whisper of a name, a name he hadn’t spoke of for too many centuries, before he felt himself falling into familiar strong pair of arms and everything went dark and quiet.

_“Imasu..”_

***

_“I asked him if we were too different to be together…We never got around to answering that question.”_

Alec ran a hand through his hair. He had never felt this _awful_. His body felt heavy and his iratze wasn’t healing his hangover as fast as he wished it could. His head felt like it had been halved by an axe. But the physical pain wasn’t the worst. It was the dread he felt in his heart. The guilt and sorrow in his heart burned as he replayed the day in his head. His argument with Magnus, having dinner with his family, getting drunk at Hunter’s Moon, pouring his heart out to a shadowhunter he barely knew about Magnus, doubting his relationship with his better half.

Alec wanted to heave. How could he even _think_ of doubting his relationship with Magnus. Magnus was the best thing that happened to him. The warlock saved Alec from a life of misery and then gave him the world. Mangus loved him with everything he had and yet, here Alec was, still unsure of where this relationship was heading to. Magnus was immortal. He had lived for centuries, and he would continue living until the end of time. And Alec… Alec wasn’t immortal. He would die and Alec gripped his fist and he bitterly thought of an arrowhead or his stele placed amongst all those other stuff of Magnus’s past beloved lovers.

_“I’m immortal! It’s not as if I have a choice!”_

Magnus had lashed out at him and Alec knew he was right but that didn’t mean that it was painful for Alec to take to heart. Magnus didn’t ask for his immortality and he knew how his lover had hurt from losing people he loved. Alec hated to think of how much Magnus would hurt if he were gone. But… He would move on. And shouldn’t Alec be happy with that? That Magnus would stop feeling upset over him and moved on? Shouldn’t Alec want Magnus to be happy once more?

His head and heart throbbed more and he drew another iratze to heal faster. He didn’t need a splitting headache right now. That was the last thing he needed. Once he was done drawing, the door to his room burst open and in came a pale Clary. Her clothes were torn in places and she had dried blood on her cheeks and arms.

“What happened?” Alec asked, straightening up from his bed.

“Alec… It’s Jace… He’s the owl.” Clary sniffed, eyes red and teary, “And Magnus’s is hurt.”

_What_

It felt like someone had reached into his chest and twisted his heart out as he struggled to process what Clary had just said. Eventually, he managed a weak ‘ _what’_ because Alec couldn’t think straight, not when Clary had just told him that his brother, his parabatai, was the owl. The owl who had hurt people, possessed innocent people to kill and slaughter. And on top of that, his boyfriend was hurt?

Alec asked the only question he could think of, “Where are they now?”

Clary sniffed, “Magnus is in the infirmary. Jace… The owl…. He got away.”

Alec’s legs moved first on instinct. He ran to the infirmary with Clary following behind him. He burst through the doors of the infirmary and found Catarina working closely, magic swirling from her fingertips to Magnus’s chest. Magnus’s face looked pale but other than that, there wasn’t any other physical damage that Alec could see. But everything still felt wrong because his boyfriend was so still, too damn still and Alec sucked in a breath. When Magnus’s chest finally moved, Alec sighed a relief.

“Catarina,” Alec whispered, coming next to her, “Is Magnus okay?”

The sparks on Catarina’s fingers disappeared and she turned to him with a soft smile. She nodded, “He’s just magically depleted.”

“He’ll be okay?” Alec asked because he had never seen Magnus _this_ magically depleted. There was once where they had just first met and Magnus had fell into his arms but Magnus was still conscious. This time, Magnus was completely unconscious, too quiet and Alec felt like he couldn’t properly breathe because Magnus had never been this still.

Catarina nodded, “He’ll be fine, Alec. He just needs some time to recover the magic he’d lost and he’ll wake up in a couple of hours.”

Alec reached down to take Magnus’s hands in his, squeezing it. It felt warm and Alec’s felt the tension in his body melt away slightly. His boyfriend was alive and safe now. Everything was okay. But Alec straightened and then turned to the redhaid who was quietly watching him in the room. Alec took a deep breath and as difficult as it was, let go of Magnus’s hands. He looked to Clary, and pushed aside his unsettled emotions. Right now, he needed to be the head of the New York Institute.

***

Alec understood her. He wanted to be angry, he wanted to lash out.

But he didn’t. Clary had saved Jace because she loved him. She made _the_ wish, sacrificed everything for the love of her life. Months ago, Alec would have sent her to the guard without a second thought. But as Alec pictured Magnus on the infirmary bed, he swallowed a lump in his throat and pulled her into a hug.

“I would have done the same thing.”

He meant it too. He would have done anything, _anything_ to save Magnus from leaving him. When Alec pulled away, he started planning. He needed to be quick, needed to have a plan to save Jace from both this demonic possession and the Clave when they find out. Before he could think further, Catarina joined them, giving Alec’s arms a squeeze.

“I have an emergency at the hospital,” Catarina told him, “I’ll come back in a few hours alright? Magnus is resting now.”

Alec nodded but before Catarina could portal out, Luke jogged in with another person behind him.

“Hey, we tried tracking Jace but lost him.” Luke huffed then looked at Catarina, “How’s Magnus?”

Alec watched as Catarina’s eyes widened as she looked at the man next to Luke. She gasped with a hand on her chest, eyes wide in recognition.

“Imasu?” Catarina whispered in disbelief. 

The man tilted his head in confusion. But a second later, his lips formed a smile and he rushed forward and wrapped Catarina in a bone-crushing hug, “Cat?”

“You’re… You’re alive?” Catarina asked and then sniffed before she stepped back, holding the man’s face, “You’re… You’re a vampire.”

The man, Alec guessed his name was Imasu, gave a small smile. He nodded and then stepped away from the hug, his face serious and worried now, “How is our Magnus?”

Alec felt his blood running cold.

 _Our_ Magnus?

Catarina seemed to realize that the others were watching her. Her eyes landed on Alec and Alec saw a glimmer of different emotions just for a second before she cleared her throat and then looked back at the man.

“He’ll be okay. I… You….” Catarina was cut when her phone beeped and then she sighed, “I really do need to go but… When I come back, we are going to _talk_.”

Imasu nodded and Catarina hugged him one more time before she patted Alec’s chest and then rushed off into a portal. Once she left, Luke cleared his throat.

“Alec, this is Imasu. He helped save Magnus.” Luke introduced.

Imasu was tall, not as tall as Alec though, but he had a charm to him. He was handsome, with sharp facial features and honey-brown eyes. Alec extended his hand and Imasu took it, shaking his hand.

“I’m Alec., head of the New York Institute.” Alec then thanked him sincerely, “Thank you for saving Magnus.”

Imasu nodded with a serious expression, eyes reflecting emotions Alec would not dare describe. “I’d do anything for Magnus.”

As he said that, Alec’s heart twisted. Just a few hours ago, Alec had been drowning in his own sorrow of doubting his relationship with Magnus, of being put into a box of memories, of being stuck a memory to Magnus. But now as Alec faced with this handsome man, Alec had a feeling that Magnus’s past was catching up with him, barging into the present.


	2. stumbles and fall

_I've got scars by great white sharks_ _  
But I swam fast and I swam hard  
All these miles I've walked  
All these stumbles and falls  
They led me straight to your arms_

Magnus blinked, vision blurry. He blinked a couple more times and groaned. His body felt heavy as he pushed himself up. He looked around with a clearer vision, realizing that he was in the institute’s infirmary. He felt warm magic tingling against his body and turned his head and gave a small smile to his friend who was sending soothing magic to his body to calm him down.

“How are you feeling?” Catarina asked

“Like I just got kicked through a billion portals,” Magnus huffed, stretching his arms out a little. His body felt sore but with Catarina’s magic, he was starting to feel slightly better, “What happened?”

“You found out that Jace was the owl.” Catarina spoke slowly, allowing Magnus time to regain his memory, “And Jace… The owl attacked you.”

Catarina paused then and Magnus nodded, the memories slowly returning to him. He was surprised to find Jace as the owl. But it had all made sense. Jace had attacked him, using his own magic against him and then…. Someone had came in between them, saving Magnus from nearly getting killed. Magnus gasped.

_Imasu_

“Imasu,” Magnus whispered and grabbed Catarina’s hands, “Cat, I-”

“I know,” Catarina nodded, patting her friend’s hand. “You’re not going crazy, old man. It really was him. He saved you from Jace and helped to bring you here. He’s a vampire now, Magnus.”

“How…” Magnus straightened himself up, “How is this possible? It’s been decades…”

“It looks like he got turned after we left Peru. He certainly looked older than I remembered.” Catarina smirked, “More matured and handsome too.”

Magnus ran his fingers through his hair, still in shock over Imasu’s return. Imasu had been an old lover from decades ago. When they had first met in Peru, Imasu was in his late twenties and had been a mundane. They had fallen in love fast and had spent months stuck to each other. Magnus never told him the truth about him being a warlock and things happened too fast and Imasu wanted more from Magnus, wanted things that Magnus could never offer and so, after a few months, Magnus called their relationship off. They broke up, too heartbroken with each other and walked away, never looking back. But now… Decades later… Imasu was back, not as a mundane but as a vampire. Magnus didn’t know what to think of this. Instead, he watched his best friend pull out her phone, typing a quick text.

“Alec told him to text him when you wake up.” Catarina told him, “He’s been worried about you. He’s out with the others now, trying to find Jace.”

“And…. Imasu offered to help.” Catarina added.

Magnus never would have thought a day where Alec would meet any of his exes except Camille. And to think that they just had an argument over Magnus’s past lovers. He closed his eyes, already regretting waking up.

“Does Alec know about…” Magnus couldn’t continue as he looked pleadingly at Catarina.

She shook her head, “I didn’t tell him anything. Unless, you’ve told him.”

Magnus breathed a sigh of relief, “I haven’t told him about Imasu specifically.”

“You think he’ll be okay?” Catarina asked, “With your ex-boyfriend hanging around?”

Magnus thought about how Alec had reacted with the box of momentos and he honestly had no way of telling how Alec would react if he knew that Imasu and Magnus used to date. Catarina took Magnus’s silence as his answer and instead gave him a supportive squeeze on his shoulder.

“If it’s one thing I know about Alec is that he loves you, Magnus.” Catarina gave him a reassuring smile, “He’ll understand.”

Magnus avoided telling her of the fight they had earlier and only nodded his head. Instead, he ushed the bed covers off him and snapped his fingers, changing into a new outfit, tight black jeans and a maroon shirt tucked in with gold embroidery up the sleeves.

“If they’re out there finding Jace then I’ve to go help them.” Magnus said, stepping out of the bed.

“Alec told you to stay,” Catarina shoved her phone to Magnus, “and rest.”

Magnus looked at Catarina’s phone and surely, there was a text from Alec.

_Please tell him to rest a bit more. Tell him that I’ll be back soon._

“Cat, I’m as good as new.” Magnus passed the phone back to her, “I have to go and help them.”

“I know you want to go out there and help them but if Alec knows you’re out there, he’s not going to be able to focus.” Catarina patted his shoulder, “They’re planning to capture Jace and Clary told me that your elixir was used on Jace. If you’re really feeling okay, maybe instead of going out there and worrying your Nephilim off, you could work on a spell to reverse the elixir.”

Magnus didn’t like not going out there but as he looked back at his best friend, he knew she was right. Alec and he may have had an argument but Alec still cared for him and if he had went out there, he would be distracting Alec from his mission. Plus, Imasu was with them and Magnus didn’t think he was ready to have this conversation with Alec. Magnus nodded in defeat, and followed Catarina to the institute library. They had some work to do.

***

They didn’t manage to capture Jace and decided to regroup and think of another solution. They headed back to the institute and Alec didn’t realize that he had been so tense, until he saw Magnus standing in the ops center, eyes narrowed as he scanned the monitor in front of him. Alec called his name and Magnus turned. He scooped Magnus into his arms and wrapped him in a tight hug, all the worry vanishing from his body. The last few hours had been torture while he waited for Catarina to text him that Magnus was awake.

“I was so worried,” Alec whispered, still holding Magnus close, “Magnus… About our fight…. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I said.”

Magnus rested his chin onto Alec’s shoulder, closing his eyes, “We both said things we didn’t mean, darling. It’s all in the past. But with everything happening, are _you_ okay, Alexander?”

Alec released Magnus, frowning. He wasn’t okay. His parabatai had been possessed and had been killing innocent people, “We need to find Jace.”

Magnus nodded seriously but before he could continue, a voice whispered his name and the both of them turned their heads towards Imasu who was looking at Magnus with a weird expression. Alec watched as Magnus’s shoulders tensed.

“Imasu,” Magnus cleared his throat, and then stepped closer to the vampire, “Thank you for saving me.”

Imasu smiled, “It’s.. It’s good seeing you again.”

“You look well.” Magnus’s eyes softened, “Although a little pale. We do need to talk about how you ended up like this.”

“Do the both of you know each other?” Izzy asked, raising her eyebrows at the both of them.

“We met in Peru,” Magnus responded with a tight smile, “Old friends.”

Alec caught Imasu looking at Magnus, checking him out before he gave a small smirk and something flashed across his eyes as he tilted his head, “We’re slightly _more_ than old friends.”

Magnus paled slightly but recovered in a second and then smiled and winked to Izzy, “A story for another time, my dear. Right now, I have some information that could help with finding Jace.”

***

The demon they were going against was Lilith, the queen of Edom. She was strong and powerful and ruthless and she had control over Jace. Jace was vulnerable and Lilith had sank her claws into him, making him into her own personal soldier. Lilith had use black magic on Jace, capturing Jace into a mental cage where he was trapped in his own mind. Magnus had found a spell to eviscerate Lilith presence from Jace. All they had to do now was to capture Jace and contain him.

Izzy had suggested the Malachi configuration, a device type of cage created for greater demons that was created by Malachi, the traitorous bastard. The weapon was in the Alicante armory and Clary had suggested talking to Imogen to get the weapon. They formed a plan and soon, Magnus was opening a portal for the shadowhunters to get the weapon while he set up the ingredients for the spell required. Once the shadowhunter was gone, Magnus created another portal for Luke and Simon to find Lilith’s lair. Once they were gone, Magnus was left alone with Catarina and Imasu. He opened another portal back to his loft, needing to get the spell ready. Before they could step through, Catarina looked at her phone and told Magnus that she needed to go because Madzie’s babysitter had called and told her that she couldn’t stay until late. Catarina promised to check up on them as soon as she could and opened a portal and left, eyes apologetic as she looked back at Magnus and Imasu. Magnus took a deep breath and decided that it was no big deal, he could do it and so opened a portal and invited Imasu back to his loft. He needed to get started on the spell and some potions to boost his magic and he wouldn’t say no to an extra pair of helping hand.

Before he could start on the spell however, they desperately needed to clear the tension in the air and so Magnus turned to Imasu, watching as his ex-lover looked around his loft, smiling to himself.

“This is something I’d picture your home to be like.” Imasu said bemusedly, “It is very Magnus Bane.”

Magnus walked over to the drink cart, pouring himself something strong and then snapping a a glass of blood into his hand and offering it up to Imasu. The younger man took it, thanking it and downed the blood. Magnus watched as Imasu’s eyes looked slightly tired.

“What happened to you?” Magnus asked.

Imasu placed the glass down and then dropped himself onto the couch. “A few years after you had left… I was working late one night. Was walking home on my own and I heard a scream. A woman screaming for help. I followed the scream and… It was at an alley. This… Man… He was attacking her, biting her. She was bleeding… The man turned around and saw me… And… The next thing I knew was that I’m drinking blood.”

“You’ve been on your own since then?” Magnus asked softly.

Imasu nodded, “The woman that was bitten didn’t make it. She died. But I woke up. I came back to life and I felt this desperate hunger for blood. I awoke house I didn’t recognize and realized that someone had found me. It was the leader of the vampire clan in Spain. He helped me, guided me through the hunger. Once I had my… desires… controlled, I decided to be on my own. I’ve been travelling, living life for the past decades.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” Magnus sincerely apologized.

Imasu chuckled softly, “There are times, I wished that I had died as well. Immortality… has not been kind.”

Magnus nodded in understanding and Imasu continued, “I heard your name in passing. So many times. Downworlders were whispering your name everywhere I went and I wondered if it really was you. I… I was surprised to find out that you are, in fact, the powerful High Warlock everyone has been talking about.”

Imasu looked up to Magnus, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were a mundane, my darling.” Magnus softly told him, “You wouldn’t understand.”

“I would.” Imasu argued softly, “I loved you, Magnus.”

Magnus swallowed a lump in his throat and then looked away because Imasu was looking at him too intensely now, “It’s all in the past now.”

Imasu stood from the couch and stepped closer to Magnus now, eyes meeting Magnus’s. There was hope and relief in his eyes and Magnus was frozen. Imasu grabbed his hands and held it up to his lips.

“I’ve wandered the world, questioning why I came back from the dead, why I was given immortality.” Imasu whispered, softly kissing Magnus’s knuckles, “But when I found you… I think I’ve found the reason.”

Magnus softly pulled himself away, taking a step back, his heart beating wildly against his ribcage, “I am sorry, Imasu.” He whispered, “I’m in love with Alec.”

Magnus hated how Imasu had looked like he was shot as he told him the truth. Imasu looked at him in sorrow. He gave Magnus a small smile and then said, “You are in love with a mortal, Magnus.”

“You walked away from me when you thought that I was a mortal.” Imasu continued, “You walked away when I asked you for a life together. And now… You are in love with a mortal once again. Magnus… You are going to get hurt.”

Magnus turned around; his feelings too overwhelmed. For a moment, he was flooded with memories of his relationship with Imasu. The man was a gentle lover and he loved Magnus with all his heart. Magnus remembered how Imasu had made him feel so special and loved. Magnus remembered the night Imasu had dropped onto one knee, with hopeful eyes and a ring awaiting him. Imasu had asked Magnus to marry him, to start a life together and to grow old together. Imasu wanted more than Magnus could offer and Magnus had declined him and walked away from him thinking that it was the best for the both of them. Imasu was a mundane and Magnus was an immortal warlock. There was no way for the both of them to live a happy life, growing old together. Magnus had been heartbroken for so long after that. It took many years for him to gt over his love for Imasu and now, here he was… Decades later. Asking for another chance with him.

It pained Magnus thinking that Imasu had a point. Magnus was in love with a mortal once again and loving Alec would eventually get him hurt. But loving Alec.. Magnus knew what he was getting into and he was ready to dive head first into this love because Alec was special. Alec broke down his walls, gave him a chance to fall in love once again and Alec was worth it. Magnus closed his eyes, squared his shoulders and then turned around to face Imasu.

“I love him,” Magnus softly whispered, “I will deal with the heartache of losing him when the time comes.”

“But right now, I have a spell to work on,” Magnus continued, “If you do not wish to help, you should leave and get some rest.”

Imasu looked at him and then cleared his throat, smiling a little, “You know that I’m always here for you.”

“Alright then,” Magnus nodded, “Then let’s get to work.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Alec and Imasu are gonna have a lonnng talk ;)  
> ALSO, I assure you there will be no cheating in this story. I don't fck around with cheaters ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: I didn't read the book so I don't exactly know much about Imasu. I only know details of him from Ragnor in the earlier season lol. Everything I know is from my imagination and some research of his character online so don't scream at me!
> 
> Come and follow me at twitter: magnusdeserves


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